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Little is known about composition, diversity, and abundance of microbial communities in environments affected by primary soil salinization, such as coastal lagoon systems. The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of lagoon salinity, soil type, and land-use on inland soil and groundwater quality, and soil microbial community structure, diversity, and gene abundance, as evaluated by T-RFLP (terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism) and qPCR (quantitative polymerase-chain-reaction). For this purpose, four sites oriented along a groundwater salinity gradient (Fogliano lagoon, central Italy) were studied under different recreational, grazing, and land-use conditions. Spatial variability in groundwater attributes was observed depending on salinity and soil electrical conductivity, both influenced by salt intrusion. A comparison of community abundance and number of phylotypes of bacteria, archaea, and fungi across varying soil depths pointed out marked differences across soils characterized by different soil type, land-use, and salinity. The latter significantly affected the microbial population richness and diversity and showed a dominance in terms of bacteria species. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the spatial relationship between soil microbial community and soil degradation processes along a relatively underexplored environmental gradient in a coastal system, coming to the conclusion that salinity acts differently as a driver of microbial community structure in comparison with other saline environments.

Coastal lagoons are dynamic transitional water ecosystems hosting valuable biological communities, including rich and diverse macrophyte assemblages. Aquatic macrophytes must cope with large fluctuations of environmental conditions on a spatial and seasonal scale. Salinity is one of the most variable parameters, changing from nearly freshwater to hypersalinity, and it is known to have a strong influence on the composition and structure of macrophyte assemblages. This study is focused on the effect of salinity on macrophyte communities of the eight most important coastal lagoons of Apulia (south-eastern Mediterranean Sea). A set of eleven transitional water body types (sensu Water Framework Directive) were allocated in a range of meso- to hyperhaline lagoons. Macrophyte sampling was carried out between 2011 and 2019, and a total of 324 samples (18 sampling stations × 2 seasons × 9 years) was analyzed. Then, macrophyte occurrence in each transitional water body (T-WB) was expressed as frequency values (%) and assemblages were compared to assess any similarity in relation to four salinity classes (mesohaline, polyhaline, euhaline and hyperhaline). Species richness varied according to the salinity class, being much higher in polyhaline and euhaline T-WBs and strongly decreasing at the extremes of the salinity range (mesohaline and hyperhaline T-WBs). Moreover, the statistical analysis showed a high resemblance of macrophyte assemblages of T-WBs within the same salinity class, which shared a great number of species. Four distinct macrophyte communities were distinguished, reflecting the salinity conditions of different T-WB types and confirming the effectiveness of a lagoon typology based on this descriptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of invasive alien species on native communities can act at different levels both by affecting the ecosystem's structure (i.e., mainly in the case of vegetation) and through direct interactions (i.e., competition for food or space). Behavioral studies under controlled conditions can provide relevant information on both the invasive potential of alien species and the potential impact of the invaders on the local native species. In the laboratory, the competition for food resources between the invasive oriental shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus, Rathbun, 1902, and the Mediterranean native shrimp Palaemon elegans, Rathke, 1836, was analyzed. These species are typical residents of coastal transitional and estuarine waters, so the experiments were carried out using two salinity conditions that characterize the coastal lagoon of Venice. Although at both salinity treatments the alien species tended to be more aggressive than the native one, significant differences between the two species were mainly observed at a salinity of 30. In particular, at a salinity of 30, P. macrodactylus spent more time attending to the food source than the native species. The results are discussed in light of the potential inter-specific competition between the two species within the conditions of the Venice lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the research was the assessment of the relationship between estuarine fish species diversity and some abiotic factors as salinity, temperature, and sediment grain size in a tropical coastal lagoon. Fish samples were collected using an experimental trawl net at eight sites in four months during three annual cycles. Multivariate analyses were applied for the identification of spatial and seasonal changes in fish assemblages’ composition along environmental gradients. Extrapolated values of Hill´s numbers were used as diversity measures and compared to same indices calculated without extrapolation on original samples. Strong evidence was found for a high correlation of some fish diversity indices with percentage of mud in sediments and in less degree with bottom salinity. An explanation for this correlation is proposed based on a variable response of main food items of the dominant fish species to abiotic factors (mostly sediment characteristics) and its subsequent effect on the spatial variability of the abundance and composition of fish assemblages, which is reflected in diversity measures. Results obtained in this study can be considered a contribution to the understanding of the relationships between fish assemblages´ diversity and natural abiotic gradients. They provide also a base line for future research on the effects of anthropogenic impacts in the studied lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of invasive alien species on native communities can act at different levels both by affecting the ecosystem’s structure (i.e., mainly in the case of vegetation) and through direct interactions (i.e., competition for food or space). Behavioral studies under controlled conditions can provide relevant information on both the invasive potential of alien species and the potential impact of the invaders on the local native species. In the laboratory, the competition for food resources between the invasive oriental shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus, Rathbun, 1902, and the Mediterranean native shrimp Palaemon elegans, Rathke, 1836, was analyzed. These species are typical residents of coastal transitional and estuarine waters, so the experiments were carried out using two salinity conditions that characterize the coastal lagoon of Venice. Although at both salinity treatments the alien species tended to be more aggressive than the native one, significant differences between the two species were mainly observed at a salinity of 30. In particular, at a salinity of 30, P. macrodactylus spent more time attending to the food source than the native species. The results are discussed in light of the potential inter-specific competition between the two species within the conditions of the Venice lagoon.

• Good response of the Lagrangian layer models to small lagoons. • A prediction of the water fluxes in the studied lagoons was obtained. • Lagoons presented higher evaporation ratios with higher Surface/Volume ratios. • Differences in water circulations caused different salinities in summer. • High-salinity water from the aquifer returned to the lagoons during autumn cyclonic storm events. Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and fluctuating ecosystems of the world. These ecosystems, however, are affected by human activities that may change their nutrient dynamics and water regime, causing the degradation of water quality, the disappearance of lagoons and wetlands, or the establishment of invasive species. In this context, the La Pletera salt marsh is composed of several coastal lagoons and wetlands that were affected by the incomplete construction of an urban development in 1987. This area has been the focus of two LIFE restoration projects aimed at recovering its ecological functionality, and protecting a threatened endemic fish species (Aphanius iberus). Thanks to these projects, a new lagoon was created in 2002 simply by excavating below sea level, which ensured water permanency all year round. Between 2014 and 2017, samples were regularly taken to measure temperature, salinity and water levels in the lagoons of the La Pletera salt marsh. In this study we focus on two natural lagoons (Life A and Life B), and the one created in 2002 (Life C). Using the one-dimensional General Lake Model (GLM), we evaluated water inflows and outflows and evaporation fluxes, since water circulation determines the resultant salinity in these lagoons. This model is an open source model that, to our knowledge, is being used for the first time in such small lagoons. The study focuses mainly on dry periods, when the lagoon inflow is low and evaporation is high. Results show that Life A and Life B are more affected by evaporation and that lagoon water circulation was higher in Life-C. From a management point of view, the maintenance of salinity conditions is fundamental for the protection of Aphanius iberus , a species adapted to high salinity fluctuations but strongly affected by competition from the invasive Eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) when water salinity is not high enough or variable. Between 2014 and 2018, additional lagoons were created in the La Pletera salt marsh as part of a new LIFE project. Knowledge of the hydrology and the resultant water salinity in the new lagoons are essential to ensure the continued survival of Aphanius iberus in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal lagoons are highly vulnerable to climate change-related pressures, such as floods and increasing temperatures, which lead to higher oxygen consumption, anaerobic metabolism and dystrophic events. Although these factors have a significant impact on the carbon cycle, the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in these systems have not been extensively investigated. DOM can be analytically determined from the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and/or from the spectral properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), which is the light-absorbing fraction of DOM. In the present study, we investigated the spatio-temporal distribution of surface water trophic variables (Chl a and DOC) and CDOM in two Mediterranean lagoon systems, the Oristano Lagoon-Gulf system (OLG) and the Varano Lagoon (VL), in order to provide quantitative information on the dynamics of DOM in these systems. Furthermore, we assessed the value of CDOM-related indices (i.e. absorption coefficients, spectral slopes and Specific UV Absorbance at 254 nm [SUVA 254 ]) as tools for describing the dynamics of DOM in coastal lagoons, irrespective of geographical settings, environmental conditions and anthropogenic pressures. In OLG, spatial heterogeneity and compartmentalization, with salinity varying from <1 (riverine sites) to >50 (Mistras Lagoon), affected the distribution of DOC and CDOM, with the lowest values on the south side and at sites far from riverine input. In OLG, the highest DOC and CDOM values were found in the sediment pore-water of the organic-rich Cabras Lagoon, where they were nearly double those of the water column. In VL, salinity was homogeneously distributed throughout the lagoon, which indicated a mixing of freshwater with marine waters. DOC and CDOM values were on average lower in VL than in OLG. However, in VL, DOC and CDOM showed strong peaks following a flood (September 2014) and a dystrophic event (July 2015), demonstrating the quick response of the system to environmental perturbation. In OLG, absorption coefficients at 280 nm and 350 nm were slightly negatively correlated with salinity, which indicated the influence of terrigenous inputs at riverine sites. In contrast, in VL, CDOM varied linearly and positively with salinity as a result of the in situ input of organic matter from phytoplankton during the dry season. Segment analysis showed that besides the differences between the two investigated systems, the trophic variables and optical parameters analyzed in the present study shared a common relationship. These results suggest that CDOM indices can be good predictors for the estimation of DOM. Overall, the present study provides insight into the dynamics of DOC and CDOM in little-studied Mediterranean lagoons and demonstrates that the CDOM indices can be a valuable, cost-effective and simple tool for describing the trophic conditions of these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow estuarine lagoons characterize >70 % of the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea coastline and, like temperate and tropical lagoons, support diverse and productive biological communities. These lagoons experience large variations in temperature (−2 to 14 °C) and salinity (0 to >45) throughout the year. Unlike lower latitude coastal systems, transitions between seasons are physically extreme and event-driven. On Arctic coastlines, a brief summer open-water period is followed by a 9-month ice-covered period that concludes with a late-spring sea ice breakup and intense freshwater run-off. From 2011 to 2014, we examined interannual variations in water column physical structure (temperature, salinity, and δO) in five lagoons that differ with respect to their degree of exchange with adjacent marine waters and magnitude of freshwater inputs. Temperature, salinity, and source water composition (calculated using a salinity and δO mixing model) were variable in space and time. During sea ice breakup in June, water column δO and salinity measurements showed that low salinity waters originated from meteoric inputs (50-80 %; which include river inputs and direct precipitation) and sea ice melt (18-51 %). Following breakup, polar marine waters became prevalent within a mixed water column over the summer open-water period within all five lagoons (26-63 %). At the peak of ice-cover extent and thickness in April, marine water sources dominated (75-87 %) and hypersaline conditions developed in some lagoons. Seasonal runoff dynamics and differences in lagoon geomorphology (i.e., connectivity to the Beaufort Sea) are considered key potential drivers of observed salinity and source water variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Ebro Delta coastal lagoons, one of the main anthropogenic pressures is the artificial freshwater input. Each coastal lagoon has different water management schemes causing profound changes in its physicochemical characteristics. The main objective of this water management is to favour some bird species with interest either for conservation or hunting activities. The present study assesses the influence of hydrological alteration on the fish assemblages of three coastal lagoons in the Ebro Delta. The small-bodied fish fauna was mainly composed of five families: Gobiidae, Poecilidae, Cyprinodontidae, Atherinidae and Mugilidae. Salinity was found to be the main factor structuring fish community in the lagoons. The dominant species was the common goby (Pomatochistus microps) when the lagoons reached higher salinity values, whereas the invasive eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) dominated during the period of higher freshwater inputs. The juveniles of the family Mugilidae showed low catch per unit effort, especially during the period of lower salinity. This same pattern was found for the endangered Spanish toothcarp (Aphanius iberus). Overall, introduced species were favoured by low salinity, which highlights the importance of changing the present water management by reducing the freshwater inputs in order to maintain suitable levels of salinity to favour native species that are important for both commercial and conservation purposes.

Abstract: Dual δ15N and δ13C analyses and estimates of biomass were used to characterize the food webs of valuable fish species in three coastal lagoons of the Ebro Delta subjected to contrasting salinity regimes (polyhaline in the Tancada lagoon, mesohaline in the Encanyissada and oligohaline in the Clot lagoon). The δ13C signatures of the entire food-web including primary producers, sediment organic matter and consumers showed the most enriched values in the Tancada lagoon (from approx. −4.8‰ in sediments to −19.7‰ in fish) and the most depleted ones in the Clot lagoon (from approx. −11.4‰ in sediments to −25.4‰ in fish), consistent with dominant contributions from marine and continental sources, respectively. For δ15N, particularly high values were detected in the submersed vegetation (11.3 ± 0.3‰) together with more enriched sediment values at lower salinities (by approx. 2.5‰), suggesting that historical loadings of agricultural fertilizers are still retained by the systems and transmitted across trophic levels. Negative relationships between δ15N and salinity were also observed for the amphipod Gammarus aequicauda and the isopod Sphaeroma hookeri, suggesting some consumption of accumulated and resuspended detrital material. In contrast, δ15N signatures of fish showed lower values and inconsistent patterns, possibly because most species have a seasonal use of the lagoons. The biomass of fish species did not show a clear effect of the salinity regime (except for the mosquitofish Gambusia holbrookii), but results for mixing models suggest a diet shift from higher contribution of zooplankton size fractions in the Encanyissada (from 57 to 73%) to macrofauna at the other lagoons (from 40 to 67%). We suggest that alterations in salinity might modify the trophic dynamics of the systems from benthic to planktonic pathways, without large-scale differences in δ15N of fish suggestive of similar trophic levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rice cultivation in the Ebro Delta (Catalonia, Spain) has inverted the natural hydrological cycles of coastal lagoons and decreased water salinities for over 150 years. Adjustments in the water management practices-in terms of source and amount of freshwater inputs-have resulted in changes in the diversity, distribution and productivity of submerged angiosperms. Between the 1970s and late 1980s, a massive decline of the aquatic vegetation occurred in the Encanyissada-Clot and Tancada lagoons, but little information on the status is available after the recovery of macrophytes in the 1990s. Here, we evaluate the influence of salinity regimes resulting from current water management practices on the composition, distribution, seasonal abundance and flowering rates of submersed macrophytes, as well as on the occurrence of epiphyte and drift macroalgae blooms in three coastal lagoons. Our results show that Ruppia cirrhosa is the dominant species in the Encanyissada lagoon (185.97 ± 29.74 g DW m year; 12-27 ‰ salinity) and the only plant species found in the Tancada lagoon (53.26 ± 10.94 g DW m year; 16-28 ‰ salinity). Flowering of R. cirrhosa (up to 1,011 ± 121 flowers m) was only observed within the Encanyissada and suggests that mesohaline summer conditions may favor these events. In contrast, low salinities in Clot lagoon (∼3-12 ‰) favor the development of Potamogeton pectinatus (130.53 ± 13.79 g DW m year) with intersperse R. cirrhosa (8.58 ± 1.71 g DW m) and mixed stands of P. pectinatus and Najas marina (up to ∼57 g DW m year) in some reduced areas. The peak biomasses observed during the study are 88 to 95 % lower than maximum values reported in the literature at similar salinities, and there is also little or no recovery in some areas compared to last reports more than 20 years ago. The main management actions to restore the natural diversity and productivity of submersed angiosperms, such as the recovering of the seagrass Zostera noltii, should be the increase of salinity during the period of rice cultivation, by reducing freshwater inputs and increasing flushing connections with the bays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The many sheltered embayments, riverine estuaries and drowned river valleys of temperate eastern Australia support a large area and a wide diversity of coastal wetlands. This region also supports over one-half of the country's population and includes its major tourist and industrial centres. The story of Cinderella provides an excellent simile for the status of coastal wetlands in this region of Australia: coastal wetlands provide extremely valuable ecosystem services (indeed, of considerably greater value than those provided by an equivalent area of inland wetland), yet they are undervalued by the general community, by natural-resource managers and by funding agencies. The selective investment of ecological research (including rehabilitation studies) into inland wetlands - and in particular into floodplain wetlands of the Murray-Darling Basin - has left us inadequately equipped to understand how temperate coastal wetlands function, how they will respond to climate change, and how degraded sites can be rehabilitated. Not only is an increase in research funding required, but funding has to be coordinated and focussed. The problem, however, is not only a lack of research funding; at a more fundamental level, the widespread ignorance of the value of temperate coastal wetlands needs also to be addressed. The wetlands that occur along the coast of south-eastern Australia provide extremely valuable ecosystem services, such as providing habitat for animals and protecting the shoreline from erosion. Despite their importance, coastal wetlands are undervalued by the general community, by natural-resource managers, and by funding agencies. Increased attention - and funding - is required so that the likely effects of climate change can be assessed and degraded wetlands rehabilitated effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetlands, as transient links from terrestrial to marine environments, are important for nitrogen removal by denitrification. Denitrification strongly depends on both the presence of emergent plants and the denitrifier communities selected by different plant species. In this study, the effects of vegetation and habitat heterogeneity on the community of denitrifying bacteria were investigated in nine coastal wetlands in two preserved areas of Spain. Sampling locations were selected to cover a range of salinity (0.81 to 31.3 mS/cm) and nitrate concentrations (0.1 to 303 µM NO3-), allowing the evaluation of environmental variables that select for denitrifier communities in the rhizosphere of Phragmites sp., Ruppia sp., and Paspalum sp. Potential nitrate reduction rates were found to be dependent on the sampling time and plant species and related to the denitrifler community structure, which was assessed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the functional genes nirS, nirK and nosZ. The results showed that denitrifier community structure was also governed by plant species and salinity, with significant influences of other variables, such as sampling time and location. Ruppia sp. and Phragmites sp. selected for certain communities, whereas this was not the case for Paspalum sp. The plant species effect was strongest on nirK-type denitrifiers, whereas water carbon conteni was a significant factor defining the structure of the nosZ-harboring community. The differences recognized using the three functional gene markers indicated that different drivers act on denitrifying populations capable of complete denitrification, compared to the overall denitrifier community. This finding may have implications for emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The macrozoobenthic assemblage from the Karavasta lagoon system, the main wetland of Albania, was studied on soft bottoms and artificial hard substrates. Three different communities were identified: the typical 'brackish-water community', an 'outlet community' dominated by filter-feeders, and a typical 'marine community', inhabiting fine sandy bottoms, where polychaetes are dominant, together with a few species of tunicates and bivalves, which colonize hard substrates. The occurrence of build-ups of the bryozoan Conopeum seurati, settled on the upper portion of long submerged wooden poles, was the main feature of faunistic interest. The faunistic affinity between the zoobenthic assemblage recorded in the hyperhaline lagoon of Karavasta and the assemblages from two Italian lagoons, the brackish Lake of Lesina and the euhaline Lake of Fogliano, was considered according to the different hydrological conditions and the geographical location. Hydrological confinement and salinity were likely to be the leading factors influencing the benthic community composition in the Karavasta wetland area. Therefore, on a vaster spatial scale, the isolation and geographical proximity of the ecosystems and colonizing ability and dispersal changes of the species appear to be the main factors liable to produce faunal variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The response of the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities to freshwater releases of different magnitude and persistence was investigated in two Mediterranean coastal lagoons (Ca l’Arana and Ricarda). The study was carried out during 14 months (June 2004–July 2005) in which different environmental variables and the macroinvertebrate communities associated with two different habitats, the Phragmites australis belt and the deep area of the lagoons, were sampled monthly. Additionally, potential colonizing sources were identified through the analysis of Chironomidae pupal exuviae. The initial response of the communities to the freshwater releases was similar, being characterized by a peak of opportunistic taxa (mainly Naididae), but the late response was different for each lagoon. In the Ca l’Arana, the magnitude of the freshwater release was higher (salinity dropped below five, which is the limit commonly established for most freshwater species) and its persistence was also higher, allowing the colonization of the lagoon by new insect taxa, which replaced the brackish water species. In the Ricarda, the salinity never dropped beyond five and pre-disturbance conditions were rapidly re-established. This, together with the acclimatizing mechanisms showed by the species Chironomus riparius and Hediste diversicolor, permitted the recovery of the pre-disturbance macroinvertebrate community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Drana Lagoon, located at the NW site of Evros River Delta, was drained in 1987 and re-flooded in 2004 within the framework of an integrated wetland restoration project. This study presents the results of a monitoring program of the lagoon''s oceanographic, water quality and fish fauna characteristics, during the pre- and post-restoration period. Results depict the presence of high salinity water (up to 41) due to seawater intrusion, strong evaporation in its interior and inadequate freshwater inflows. Overall, nutrient levels were low depicting local changes. Tidal variability at the mouth was approximately 0.2m, producing high velocity tidal currents (up to 0.75m/s). Eleven fish fauna species were collected; seven species were caught in both the inlet channel and the lagoon during the pre-restoration period and nine species in the post-restoration period. Atherina boyeri (37.6%) and Pomatoschistus marmoratus (31.7%) dominated the lagoon during the post-restoration period. Most of the A. boyeri specimens (88.5%) were caught inside the lagoon, while P. marmoratus had an almost equal distribution in the inlet channel and the lagoon (56.3% and 43.7% respectively). The presence of species of the Mugilidae family (5.2% total average catches after lagoon re-flooding) was mainly in the inlet channel (12.6% of the average catches) and not inside the lagoon (only 1.3% of the average catches). The small number of fish species inhabiting the lagoon might be the result of the recent restoration or it could be related with the increased water flow observed at the lagoon mouth during the flood and ebb tidal phases, and also in the presence of a smooth bank in the concrete waterspout that connects the entrance channel with the lagoon. The limited presence of the Mugilidae juveniles inside the lagoon could be related to the prevailing tidal inlet dynamics (i.e. strong ebb flow at lagoon inlet), thus preventing the species to enter the lagoon. In order to restore the lagoon environment, careful and gradual steps should be undertaken under the basis of continuous monitoring of hydrologic, environmental and fisheries system''s status. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Salinity in estuaries is highly variable due to river discharge, tidal motion, and winds. Information on the spatial and temporal changes in salinity can provide important ecological indications, but accurate monitoring of the space–time variability for a large estuary is often costly and time-consuming. This study applied remote sensing techniques to develop a salinity prediction model for Lake Pontchartrain, a large estuarine lake located in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA. “Ground truth” salinity was measured along two transects across the lake and near the shoreline. Water-leaving reflectance from the measurement locations was extracted from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images pre-processed through “banding” noise reduction and radiometrical correction approaches. Ordinary least square and ridge regression methods were performed to identify model parameters and to determine relationships between salinity and reflectance. Salinity in the lake on eight dates was predicted with the developed model. Difference in salinity level and patterns, and impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on salinity were assessed with ANOVA and Fuzzy Similarity methods. The results showed that the model achieved a high power in prediction of the lake salinity (R 2 =0.89 and RMSE of validation=0.27). Reflectance from TM bands 1, 2, and 4 was positively correlated to salinity levels and explained 1.9%, 20.3%, and 10.2% variance in salinity levels. Reflectance from bands 3 and 5 was negatively correlated to salinity and explained 34.1% and 31.2% variance. Under normal circumstances without the impacts of hurricanes, the lake salinity presented two patterns with average salinity level of 5.5ppt. After Katrina’s landfall, the average was significantly increased by 1.1ppt and the spatial patterns were altered. The pattern on 30 August 2005 was the most dissimilar one as compared to the two normal patterns, and then followed by the patterns on 9 and 25 October, and 7 September 2005. This study demonstrated that satellite remote sensing techniques can be applied to monitor salinity in coastal environments, and that freshwater discharge not only affects salinity levels and patterns under normal conditions but also is crucial for the return of salinity patterns to normal conditions after hurricane disturbance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Little information currently exists on spatial and temporal benthic community variations in tropical coastal lagoons. Here, the benthic community response to habitat variation in the Celestun coastal lagoon, northwest Yucatan peninsula, was seasonally examined during the 1994–1995 climatic cycle into a grid of 12 sampling sites distributed along the salinity gradient of the lagoon. Habitat variation was assessed through physical factors associated both to the water column (e.g. salinity) and the bottom sediment (e.g. sand, silt and clay fractions). The benthic community response was assessed through species diversity measures and abundance. Under the influence of climatic seasonality, variations in habitat conditions followed by changes in the benthic community characteristics were expected. Results from two-way ANOVAs showed that for the period of study, Celestun lagoon was more heterogeneous along the spatial axis of variability than along the temporal one. Multiple regression analysis showed that salinity was spatially the main factor influencing the benthic community characteristics. Temporally, the sediment characteristics were observed to exert significant effects on the species diversity characteristics but not on abundance. Other variables assessed (dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature and water column transparency) exhibited no significant covariance with species diversity and abundance. Since generated from historical data, these results have the potential to be useful as a benchmark to the establishment of monitoring programs in the light of the increasing anthropogenic pressure on the natural resources of the lagoon and surrounding coastal area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The flushing time of Perlas Lagoon and Bluefields Bay were studied in January, March, May, and July 2001. Calculations of the total water volume, tidal prism, mean salinity, and fresh water flows are shown. The flushing times range from 14 to 17 days for Perlas Lagoon and from 2 to 4 days for Bluefields Bay. Flushing time variability, determined largely by the fresh water contribution, is greater for Bluefields Bay, duplicating its magnitude during the dry months compared to the rainy season. In both bodies of water, the relationship between fresh water input and flushing time is inverse: for Bluefields Bay T = 5.2·e-0,0008 (FW), where r² = 0.835 and for Perlas Lagoon T= 20·2.e-0,0004 (FW), where r² = 0.873. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 137Cs profiles for three low lying coastal lagoons in Southwest England that show a decline in activity with sediment depth. 137Cs inventories are lower than expected by comparison with local reference inventories despite the fact that sampling was undertaken in the deep-water zone of each lake where sediment and 137Cs focusing would be expected. At all three locations, lake sediment 7Be and unsupported 210Pb (210Pbun) inventories are not significantly lower than the local reference inventory. 137Cs inventories in the study cores range from 38 to 95% of local reference inventories. The standing water level and mud: water interface at two sites are below maximum tide level and, at all three sites, salinity increases significantly in the water columns between low and high tide and in the pore waters of the underlying sediments. We suggest that the difference in hydrostatic pressure between sea level and standing water levels in the lagoons forces salt water up through the sediment column and that monovalent cations (especially Na+ and K+) replace 137Cs on exchange sites leading to the upward migration and loss of 137Cs. Rising sea levels may therefore contribute to remobilisation and release of 137Cs to the aquatic environment from the sediments of coastal lagoons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A large-scale survey of seagrass fish communities was carried out quarterly over a three-year period in six coastal lakes with entrances that were intermittently closed and open to the ocean. These coastal lakes, located along ∼400km of the southeastern Australian coastline, ranged from 4.2km2 to 38.9km2 in water area, but experienced a similar range of salinities, temperatures, pH and turbidities over the study period. A total of 203 936 individual fish, belonging to 46 families and 93 species, were caught and released, with the most diverse families being the Gobiidae (12 species), Monacanthidae (9 species) and Syngnathidae (7 species). There were major changes in numbers of fish caught between years, accompanied by changes in the compositions of the species assemblages. These changes were associated with heavy rainfall and flooding in the region during the second year of the study, which caused the opening of all lakes to the sea, and allowed recruitment of marine spawning species. This inter-annual variability was much larger than any of the seasonal or spatial differences observed, which were inconsistent within and between the studied lakes. The salinity regime of individual lakes played a role in structuring the fish assemblages on a regional scale, rather than any obvious biogeographic factors. Artificially opening the entrance of one lake, to alleviate flooding, resulted in the loss of a large seagrass bed and a subsequent decline in recruitment of economically important fish species to that area. The research suggests that, for these small estuaries, conservation of fish diversity might best be achieved on a “whole-of-estuary” basis, rather than by zoning of areas within individual lakes. It also indicated that artificially opening the lakes, or carrying out other entrance works, should be done with great caution as the impact that these activities may have on their fish communities remains largely unpredictable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of a sudden increase in salinity from 10 to 37 in porewater concentration and the benthic fluxes of ammonium, calcium and dissolved inorganic carbon were studied in sediments of a small coastal lagoon, the Albufera d''Es Grau (Minorca Island, Spain). The temporal effects of the changes in salinity were examined over 17 days using a single diffusion-reaction model and a mass-balance approach. After the salinity change, NH4+-flux to the water and Ca-flux toward sediments increased (NH4+-flux: 5000–3000 μmol m−2 d−1 in seawater and 600/250 μmol m−2 d−1 in brackish water; Ca-flux: −40/−76 meq m−2 d−1 at S=37 and −13/−10 meq m−2 d−1 at S=10); however, later NH4+-flux decreased in seawater, reaching values lower than in brackish water. In contrast, Ca-flux presented similar values in both conditions. The fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon, which were constant at S=10 (55/45 mmol m−2 d−1), increased during the experiment at S=37 (from ∼30 mmol m−2 d−1 immediately after salinity increase to ∼60 mmol m−2 d−1 after 17 days).In brackish conditions, NH4+ and Ca2+ fluxes were consistent with a single diffusion-reaction model that assumes a zero-order reaction for NH4+ production and a first-order reaction for Ca2+ production. In seawater, this model explained the Ca-flux observed, but did not account for the high initial flux of NH4+.The mass balance for 17 days indicated a higher retention of NH4+ in porewater in the littoral station in seawater conditions (9.5 mmol m−2 at S=37 and 1.6 mmol m−2 at S=10) and a significant reduction in the water consumption at both sites (5 mmol m−2 at S=37; 35/23 mmol m−2 at S=10). In contrast, accumulation of dissolved inorganic carbon in porewater was lower in seawater incubations (−10/−1 meq m−2 at S=37; 50/90 meq m−2 at S=10) and was linked to a higher efflux of CO2 to the atmosphere, because of calcium carbonate precipitation in water (675/500 meq m−2). These results indicate that increased salinity in shallow coastal waters could play a major role in the global carbon cycle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Temperature increase, salinity intrusion and pesticide pollution have been suggested to be among the main stressors affecting the biodiversity of coastal wetland ecosystems. Here we assessed the single and combined effects of these stressors on zooplankton communities collected from a Mediterranean coastal lagoon. An indoor microcosm experiment was designed with temperature variation (20 °C and 30 °C), salinity (no addition, 2.5 g/L NaCl) and the insecticide chlorpyrifos (no addition, 1 μg/L) as treatments. The impact of these stressors was evaluated on water quality variables and on the zooplankton comunity (structure, diversity, abundance and taxa responses) for 28 days. This study shows that temperature is the main driver for zooplankton community change, followed by salinity and chlorpyrifos. The three stressors contributed to a decrease on zooplankton diversity. The increase of temperature contributed to an increase of zooplankton abundance. Salinity generally affected Cladocera, which resulted in a Copepoda increase at 20 °C, and a reduction in the abundance of all major zooplankton groups at 30 °C. The insecticide chlorpyrifos affected primarily Cladocera, altough the magnitude and duration of the direct and indirect effects caused by the insecticide substantially differed between the two temperature scenarios. Chlorpyrifos and salinity resulted in antagonistic effects on sensitive taxa (Cladocera) at 20 °C and 30 °C. This study shows that temperature can influence the direct and indirect effects of salinity and pesticides on zooplankton communities in Mediterranean coastal wetlands, and highlights vulnerable taxa and ecological responses that are expected to dominate under future global change scenarios. • Multiple stressor effects investigated on Mediterranean zooplankton communities. • Temperature (T) > salinity (S) > chlorpyrifos (CPF) affected community structure. • Community effects of S and CPF were influenced by T regime. • S and CPF resulted in antagonistic effects on sensitive taxa (Cladocera). • There was no significant interaction between the three stressors (T, S, CPF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatiotemporal variation in meiofaunal assemblages were investigated for the first time in the Cabras Lagoon, the largest transitional system in the Sardinian Island (W-Mediterranean Sea). Two main environmental (salinity and trophic) gradients highlighted a significant separation of the three study sites across the lagoon, which were consistent through time. The environmental variability and habitat heterogeneity of the Cabras Lagoon influenced the meiofauna. In particular, salinity and dissolved oxygen, primarily, shaped the meiofaunal assemblage structure at the seaward site which was significantly different from both the riverine and the organically enriched sites. On the other hand, the trophic components (e.g., organic matter, Chlorophyll-a, and phaeopigments) and the different degrees of confinement and saprobity among sites were the secondary factors contributing mostly to the separation between the latter two sites. The lack of significant differences in the temporal comparison of the meiofaunal assemblage structure along with the very low contribution of temperature to the meiofaunal ordination indicated that this assemblage was more affected by spatial rather than by temporal variation. This pattern was also supported by significant differences between the three sites in several univariate measures, including total number of individuals, number of taxa, Pielou's evenness, and the ratio between nematodes and copepods. Thus, the present study corroborates the hypothesis that meiofaunal organisms are good indicators of the spatial heterogeneity in transitional waters (TWs) and could have a greater species richness than that expected. Indeed, the Cabras Lagoon overall showed one of the highest meiofaunal richness values found from both Mediterranean and European TWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]